> Health Concerns

Health FAQs (17) Veterinary Groups (9) Dental Health (15) Pet Health Insurance (6) Feline Anatomy (8) Homeopathy / Holistic Care (12) Anesthesia (5) Vaccinations for Cats (7) Cat Safety @ Zoonotic Disease (14) Stress / Anxiety in Cats @ Food and Nutrition for Y... @ Diseases and Conditions (195) Spay and Neuter @ Declawing @ Reproduction: Mating, Pr... @ Emergencies / First Aid (10)

Cat Health FAQs
Many specific questions about the health of cats can only be answered by a veterinarian after a thorough examination of the cat. However I can sometimes respond to more general questions. Read my replies to some of the frequently asked questions I receive about cats.

Is it safe for owners to vaccinate their own cats?
A reader asks if it is safe for cat owners to vaccinate their own cats. Read my reply to this health FAQ

Quick Tip - For Dispensing Nasty-Tasting Pills
Follow the advice in this tip for helping to get your cat to willingly swallow nasty tasting pills.

When to Call Your Veterinarian for your Cat -
I often get e-mails from folks describing various symptoms their cats are displaying and asking if I have any idea of the causes. Although I may often have ideas or opinions, my answer is always the same: "Even if I were a veterinarian, I would not attempt to diagnose your pet without a thorough personal examination. Your kitty needs to be seen by a veterinarian, without delay."

Cats Health Quiz
How extensive is your knowledge about cats' health matters? Do you know common symptoms of health problems in cats and what they might mean? Take this javascript-based cats health quiz to test your knowledge and learn more about your cat's health.

What is Rippling Skin Disorder?
I read about that rippling skin disorder, and I think my cat has it. He does a lot of crazy running around with the skin on his back rippling. Also he wanders around at night, meowing loudly. What is it, and how can I help him? Learn more about rippling skin disorder, its symptoms, possible causes, and treatment, through this FAQ.

Treating an FIV+ Cat - the HIV Connection
Bud, an FIV+ cat, has been kept alive with a combination of drugs used to treat HIV and OTC supplements. The result has been total measurable viral suppression, to the extent that in his latest test, the viral load was so low that FIV was not detected. Read his remarkable story by Joel Kehler, Bud's human caregiver.

Quick Tip: Giving Multiple Small Pills to Cats
Do you have a cat patient who is not patient with pilling? One who must take multiple small pills or halved/quartered pills? Those divided pills have sharp edges, and it's no wonder cats are reluctant to swallow them. Here's a possible solution to avoid both the distress of pilling for your cat, and also the waste of pills spat out repeatedly.

Help in Selecting a New Veterinarian
Finding a new veterinarian for cats is always a challenge, whether moving into a new area or dissatisfied with the former vet. Although referalls from other happy clients are a big plus, it is always advisable to be prepared with a list of questions to ask any prospective veterinarian for your cat.

Veterinary Reference Books for Cat Owners
Any home library of books on cat care must include one or two veterinary reference books to be complete. Knowing the normal conditions of a healthy cat, how to spot symptoms of illness, and what to do about them are integral to the responsible care of cats. These veterinary reference books will provide needed help and support for the concerned cat owner.

Before You Buy Pet Insurance for Your Cat
Pet health insurance, like other forms of insurance, is a gamble. You're betting your cat will need it, and the company is setting odds that it won't, in terms of limits and lots of fine print. There are a number of factors to consider before you buy pet insurance for your cat. You may, in fact, decide against it.

Essential Oils and Cats: A Potentially Toxic Mix
In recent years, compelling evidence has accumulated that essential oils can be toxic to cats, whether taken internally, applied to the skin, or simply inhaled. Learn more about essential oils and aromatherapy, and where and how they can be used safely.

Cat-Pilling Quick Tip
Do you have a cat patient who is not patient with pilling? One who must take multiple small pills or halved/quartered pills? Those divided pills have sharp edges, and it's no wonder cats are reluctant to swallow them.

Natural Health Solutions for Cats
Sooner or later, almost everyone who shares a home with a cat discovers "natural health" or hears about holistic veterinary procedures such as accupuncture, massage therapy or homeopathic remedies.

Books on Natural Health for Cats
Sooner or later, almost everyone who shares a home with a cat discovers "natural health" or hears about holistic veterinary procedures such as accupuncture, massage therapy or homeopathic remedies. These books will clear the path for raising your own cat the natural way.

What to Do About Hairballs
Although hairballs may be the topics of jokes among thoughtless humans, they are a source of discomfort or worse, for cats. Learn how to recognize hairball problems and how to help your cat get rid of them

Mad Cow Disease - Are Cats at Risk?
In addition to the 100 domestic cats which, as of the turn of the century, have died from feline spongiform encephalopathy in the UK, are sixteen big cats, which, in the latter case, most likely succumbed as the result of eating contaminated raw meat. Could our cats be at risk? Read more to find out.